Power transmission apparatus



Nov. 5,1929. N.. G. MoRlcl v POWER TRANsMssIo- APPARATUS Filed Aug. 15, 1925 s sheets-sheet 1 Na 3 a re ne 6. Moric t' 5 e .5 5 m ,M/

Nav. 5, 1929. vN. G. Mcm@ 1,734,143

- POWER TRANSMISSION APPARATUS Filed Aus- 15,v 1925 :s sneetef-sheet 2 l"Niv'.' 5, 1929,

N. e. MoRlcl POWER TRANSMISSION APPARATUS.

` Filed Aug. 15, 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 mlm Patented Nov. 5, 1929 i Y lp39l43 nntraasraras rarest rtree NAZARENE GEORGE MORCI, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS POWER TRANSMISSION APPARATUS Application led. August 15, 1925. Serial No. 50,500.

My invention relates to power transmission ratus. In general, 10 may be any suitable devices and particularly to power transmis driving element and 11 may be any suitable sion apparatus adapted for use in connect-ion driven element, as the invention is limited to with internal combustion engines, electrical use in connection with an internal combusmotors and the like. tion engine only to the extent defined in the 55 The invention has among its objects the appended claims. Secured to the crank shaft production of improved apparatus of the by bolts 12 is a fly-wheel 13. The bolts 12 kind described, which is simple, compact, realso serve to secure a member 15 to the crank liable, durable, convenient, efficient and satshaft 10 (Fig. One end of the propeller v10 isfactory for use wherever found applicable. shaft 11 is rotatably journaled in the mem- `G0 A particular object of the invention is the ber 15, a ball bearing 16 or the equivalent production of improved apparatus of the being provided for this purpose. The memkind described which is especially adapted ber 1-5 is provided with two diametrically disfor motor vehicle use and which obviates the posed shaped heads 17 and 18 (Figs. 3

-15 use of the usual clutch and 4). interposed between the heads 17 and ,65

Another particular object of the inventio 18 are arcuate members 20 and 21 which carry is to produce improved apparatus of the kind rollers 22 and 23, respectively, the rollers 22 described which is largely automatic in and 23 being rotatably journaled by pins 24 operation. which are mounted in the arcuate members VMany other objects and advantages of the 2O and 21. rlhe rollers 22 and 23 are adapt- .70

construction herein shown andV described will ed to cooperate with a substantially cylinbe obvious to those skilled in the art from drical surface 25 provided upon a collar 26 the disclosure herein given. formed integral with the propeller shaft 11 To this end my invention consists in the (Figs. l3 and 5). Secured Vto and projecting 25 novel construction, arrangement and combifrom one end of the arcuate member 20 are ,75

nation of parts herein shown and described, pins 28which have their outer ends slidably and more particularly pointed out in the journaledin bushings 29 screw-threaded into claims. j bores 30 formed in the T-shaped head 17. ln the drawings, u herein like reference Disposed around the pins 28 and interposed 30 characters indicate like or corresponding between the bushings 29 land the arcuate n8:0

parts: y member 20 are compression springs 31. The Fig. 1 is anelevation partly in section of bushings 29 are provided with slots 33 so apparatus embodying the invention; thatthe bushings may be engaged by any Fig. 2 is an elevation partly in section of suitable tool (not shown) and adjusted to inthe apparatus shown in Fig. 1, the view becrease kor decrease the tension of the springs ing taken looking from the left in Fig. 1; 31. Secured to and projecting from one end Fig. 3 is a section taken on line ,3-3 of of the arcuate member 2l are pins 28a which Fig. 2; have their outer ends slidably journaled in Fig. 4 is a section taken on line 4-4 of bushings 29a, the bushings 29a being screw- Fig. 1; threaded in bores 30Z1 for-ined in the T-shaped 90 Fig. 5 is a section taken on line 5-5 of head 18. Interposed between the bushings Fig, 1; and v 29a and the arcuate member `21 are compres- Fig. 6 is a section taken on line 6 6 of sion springs 31a. The bushings 29a are pro- Fig. 1. j l Y vided with slots 33EL so that the bushings may In the drawings, 10 is the crank shaft of be adjusted byany suitable tool. The parts 95 an internal combustion engine forming part 28a, 29L and 31a are preferably substantially of an automobile, and 11 is the propeller identical with the aforementioned parts 28, shaft of the automobile which shaft may be 29 and 31. The purpose of this construction made in sections connected by any suitable will presently appear. r means such as, for instance, reversing appa- Aligned Withthe pins 28 and secured tov 190 Asthe speed increases the arcuate members the arcuate member 20 are pins 35 which have their outer ends slidably mounted in bores 36 formed in the T-shaped head 18.

VAligned with the pins 28a and secured to the movement being parallel to the center lines of the pins 28, 28, 35 and 35a. It will be noted that the springs 31 when compressed urge the member 20 toward the right (Fig. 3) and that the springs 31a when compressed urge the arcuate member 21 toward the left (Fig- 3).-

As best shown in Figs.` 1 and fi, the member 15 is provided with diametrically disposed lugs 38 in which are pivotally mounted levers 39. One end of each lever 39 is adapted to cooperate with a lug 40 projecting rom one of the arcuate members 20 and 21, the lugs 40 being preferably formed integral with the arcuate members 20 and 21 (Fig. 6). These ends of the levers 39 are provided with arcuate surfaces 41 and flattened surfaces the flattened surfaces 42 being normally presented to the lugs 40. The other end of each lever 39 is provided with a bore 44 which accommodates one of a pair of pins 45 secured to and projecting from a collar i7 slidably and rotatably journaled upon the propeller shaft 11. The collar l? is provided with an annulargroove 48 in which rides a ring 50 having trunnions 52. A foot pedal 54 lpivotally mountedupon any suitable part of thel automobile chassis, as at 55, operatively engages the trunnions 52. i

When the engine is not in operation and when it is idling or running at low speed in a counter-clockwise direction (Fig. 3), theV several partsV of the above described power transmission apparatus occupy relative positions wherein they are shown in the drawings, the springs 31 and 31,a being so designed and adjusted that there will be no relative displacement between the member 15 and the arcuate members 20 andV 21 until the engine reaches a predetermined speed. This .speed is generally 150 R. P. M. or thereabouts.

20 and2l'move relatively to the cylindrical surface 25 against the action of the springs 31; and 31, respectively. Obviously, the rollers 22 and 23 will be urged against .the cylindrical surface 25 and will, when urged against the cylindrical surface 25 with suiiicient force, cause the collar 26 to rotate in unison with the arcuate members'20 and 21. The tendency is to pick up the load gradually. The rollers 22 and 23 maybe provided with any suitable facingV but I prefer to make themof hardened material without a supplemental facing.l AThe apparatus is preferably designed and adjusted so that there will be an exceedingly small clearance between the rollers and cylindrical surface 25 when the engine is not in operation. YObviously, as the engine accelerates its speed, there is less and less relative movement between the rollers and the cylindrical surface 25 until the driving and driven elements rotate in unison. If the engine is slowed down before the predetermined number of revolutions per minute is attained the driving element will be disconnected automatically from the driven element.

The rollers 22 and 23 may be disengaged from the cylindrical ysurface 25 at any time by displacing the pedal 54 around its pivotal axis. This displacement of they pedal causes levers 39 to rock their flattened surfaces i2 in such manner that the arcuate members 2O and 21 are moved in vdirections to disengage the rollers from the cylindrical surface 25. This construction obviates the necessity of providing the usual frictional clutchin the automobile. l

Having thus described my invention, it is obvious that various immaterial modifications may be made in the same without departing from the spirit ofV my invention; hence I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the exact form,construction,v arrangement and combination of parts 'herein shown and described or uses mentioned.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In power transmission apparatus, a driving` element, a driven element co-axial therewith and having a cylindrical surface formed thereon, said cylindrical surface being concentric with the axis of rotation of the driven element, a member on said driv-` ing element movable relatively theretoin a plane transverse to the axis of said driving element, a roller carried by said member and brought into tangential engagement with said'cylindrical surface for operatively connecting-the driving element to the driven element, and means connected with said member for maintaining said roller o ut of engagekmentwith said cylindrical surface until said driving element has attained a predetermined number of revolutions per minute.

2. vIn a `power transmission apparatus, a driving element, a driven element coaxial therewith and having a cylindrical 'surface formed thereon, said cylindrical surface being concentric with the axisof rotation of the driven element, a member rigidly secured to said drivingelement, a second member carried by said first mentioned member and slidably movable relatively thereto in a'plane transverse to the axis of said driving element, a roller carried by said second member and adapted to Vloe moved into tangential'engagement with said cylindrical surface for operatively connecting said driving. element to theY driven element, and resilient means opioo eratively related to said second member for maintaining said roller out of engagement with said cylindrical surface until said driving element has attained a predetermined number of revolutions per minute.

3. In a power transmission apparatus, a driving element, a driven element coaxial therewith and having a cylindrical surface formed thereon, said cylindrical` surface being concentric with the axis of rotation of the driven element, a member rigidly secured to said driving element, a second member carried by said first mentioned member and slidably movable relatively thereto in a plane transverse to the axis of said driving element, a roller Carried by said second member and adapted to be brought into tangential engagement with said cylindrical surface for operatively connecting said driving element to the driven element, a spring positionedbetween said members for maintaining said roller out of engagement with said cylindrical surface until said driving element has attained a predetermined number of revolutions per minute, and means for adjusting the tension of said spring.

4;. In a power transmission apparatus, a driving element, a driven element coaxial therewith and having a cylindrical surface formed thereon, said cylindrical surface being concentric with the axis of rotation of the driven element, a member having a plurality of heads formed thereon rigidly secured to said driving element, a second member carried by said first mentioned member and slidably mountd on said heads in a manner to move in a plane transverse to the axis of said driving element, a roller carried by said second member and adapted to be brought into tangential engagement with said cylindrical surface for operatively connecting said driving element to the driven element, a

-spring operatively related to said second member for maintaining said roller out of engagement with said cylindrical surface until said driving element has attained a predetermined number of revolutions per minute, and means cooperable with one of said heads for adjusting the tension of said spring.

5. In power transmission apparatus, a driving element, a driven element coaxial therewith and having a cylindrical surface formed thereon, said cylindrical surface being concentric with the axis of rotation of the driven element, a member on said driving element movable relatively thereto in a plane transverse to the axis of said driving element, a roller carried by said member and brought into tangential engagement with said cylindrical surface for operatively connecting the driving element to the driven element, means Yconnected with said member for maintaining said roller out of engagement with said cylindrical surface until said driving element has attained a predetermined number of revolutions per minute, and manually operated means for disconnecting said driving and driven elements regardless of the speed of rotation thereof.

6. In power transmission apparatus, a driving element, a driven element coaxial therewith and having a cylindrical surface formed thereon, said cylindrical surface being concentric with the axis of rotation of the driven element, a member onv said driving element slidably movable relatively thereto in a plane transverse to the axis of said driving element, a roller carried by said member and brought into tangential engagement with said cylindrical surface for operatively connecting the driving element to the driven element, means connected with said member for maintaining said roller out of engagement with said cylindrical surface until said driving element has attained a predetermined number of revolutions per minute, and manually actuated means pivotally mounted on said first mentioned member and cooperable with a portion of said slidable member for disconnecting said driving and driven elements at the will of the operator regardless of the speed of rotation of said elements.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name.

Y NAZARENE GEORGE MORICI.

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